A Father's Pride
by LadyDetia
Summary: The children of the Rookie Nine and Team Gai, among others, are now genin.  Will they be able to face the challenges of the shinobi life and make their fathers proud?
1. The Day of Choosing

A Father's Pride

By Lady Detia

Chapter 1: The Day of Choosing

It was the crack of dawn and the sun was just peeping over the horizon. All was peaceful and still in the Hidden Leaf Village. Two young brothers were settled comfortably in their beds until a familiar voice shattered their tranquil dreams.

"Hideki, Hinode! Get up now or you'll be late for school!"

Uzumaki Hideki shot straight up out of his bed sending his dark brown locks flying. He spit a stray lock of hair from his mouth as his slowly got up. However, in the bedroom next to his Hinode had buried himself deeper under the sheets. His mother wasn't having any of his foolishness so she came into his room and yanked the sheets off of his bed taking the boy with them. The young Uzumaki hit the floor with a thud. He was now fully awake and scrambled to get out from under the tangled sheets.

"Hinode, stop messing around and get ready for school!" Sakura scolded as her son emerged from the sheets looking tussled and confused. "Hinata-sama is fixing breakfast, so hurry up and get dressed before your food gets cold." Hinode scratched his head and wiped the crust from his eye as he shuffled to one of the many bathrooms in the Hokage's mansion. After showering and dressing the Uzumaki brothers crossed paths at the top of the stairs. They were both still a little groggy but the smell of a hot breakfast soon had them wide awake.

All three of their parents were seated at the breakfast table and ready to eat. Their father, the Rokudaime Hokage, greeted them cheerfully but the boys returned a much less enthusiastic reply.

"You two look like you didn't want to get up this morning. Were you busy dreaming about a certain pretty girl?" Naruto teased. His sons suddenly became a little more lively and started to eat their breakfast. The Hokage noticed Hideki had a blush on his cheeks while Hinode was eating his food at lightning speed. The thirteen year old blond then excused himself from the table and ran to brush his teeth.

"Hinode really shouldn't eat like that. It could upset his stomach," Hinata commented.

"What in the world is his hurry?" Sakura asked Hideki, who shrugged in response. The rest of the family looked over at Naruto when he began to laugh.

"It's pretty obvious that he wants to be first to get to see Ayame today." Hearing that Hideki stuffed the last of his breakfast into his mouth and ran off too. "That put a fire on his tail feathers," Naruto chuckled while his two wives shook their heads. Five minutes later the two brothers ran back downstairs to kiss their mothers good-bye and bid their father farewell.

"They both want to know so badly if they'll be on a genin team with Ayame. I don't know how you put up with their badgering for information, Naruto-kun." Hinata wondered aloud as she cleaned up the breakfast dishes.

"Easy. I just enjoyed watching them squirm," the playful father replied with a mischievous smirk. "Besides, they have to learn that it's not fair to take advantage of being related to the Hokage. They should get information like that like their fellow classmates."

"I agree. I just hope those two are able to focus more on their training than on Ayame," Hinata sighed.

"That's going to be a lot of hoping, Hinata-chan," Sakura teased as she kissed her love on the cheek. "Personally, I'm tempted to spy on them, but I think we'd better wait until they come home to let us know how things went."

In the meantime the two brothers we walking side by side on their way to the Ninja Academy when they both were overcome by a fit of sneezing.

"Wow, Hideki! Some really pretty girl must be talking about us. I bet Ayame's the one who's talking about me," the blond boy boasted.

"You shouldn't make losing bets, brother," his brown haired sibling retorted, causing a glaring match that would have developed into a fight had they not arrived on the school yard to join their fellow classmates. Most of their fellow genin were gathered outside with one or two of their family members. While Hideki went to greet his uncle Ryoku, Hinode flashed a bright smile while greeting members of the fairer sex. The two brothers abruptly ended any conversations they had going when something caught their eye. It only took a flash of lavender locks to get the Uzumakis excited about school once again. The brothers nearly ran each other over trying to be the first to greet the prettiest girl in their class, Hatake Ayame.

As she approached the academy grounds she was flanked by her father, Kakashi and her youngest brother, Takamaru. Hideki made it to her first, but he made sure to greet Kakashi first out of respect. Before he could get one word out to Ayame, Hinode pushed him aside.

"Oi, Ayame! Boy am I glad to see you! We're going to find out whose team we're going to be on. Aren't you excited?" Ayame nodded as Hideki shoved his brother back out of annoyance.

"Hello, Hideki." The young Uzumaki loved hearing her speak his name in that serene voice of hers.

"H-hi, Ayame," Hideki greeted back with a hint of a blush on his cheeks. As he struggled to think of what else to say to the pretty girl her little brother decided to move things along with some teasing.

"Oh, for goodness sake, why don't you just lay a big juicy one on her? You know you want to, ya perv!" The nine year old stuck his tongue out and ran over to where his class was before his sister could grab him to dish out some punishment. Ayame wanted to give chase but her father stopped her.

"I'll handle Takamaru, sweetheart. I'm sure you can handle things from here." Ayame bid her father good-bye with a hug . Kakashi kissed her forehead before heading over to give his troublesome son a talking to. The trio began walking to the main entrance when Ayame suddenly broke out running. Hideki's face scrunched into an irritated pout while Hinode growled like a junkyard dog when they both saw Ayame run up to a tall boy with shades. Ayame could be heard laughing as the two teens gave each other playful punches.

"Damn that Aburame! Why does he always have to show up right when I'm getting close to Ayame?" Hinode growled.

"Maybe if you weren't so rude she would want to hang around. Maybe it's best that you stay away so she can spend time with someone more interesting...like me."

"Hideki...that's a big steaming pile of..." Hinode didn't get to finish his sentence because their instructor was now calling for the class to come inside and take their seats. Once they entered the classroom the two fledgling shinobi brothers made all kinds of sneaky maneuvers to secure a seat next to Ayame. Senkou settled down in a seat by a window while Ayame sat on his right. Hideki managed to bump his brother aside with his hip and sit next to the lavender haired cutie. He thought that was perfect payback for Hinode pushing him earlier. The younger Uzumaki sat down next to his brother to glare at him, but Hideki simply gazed at Ayame with a smile, completely ignoring his brother. The instructor called the class to attention and all grew quiet.

"All right, I'm going to make this quick. Listen carefully for your name, because I'm not going to repeat myself, understand. You are all going to be split up into twelve teams of three. Once that's done your jonin sensei will come to meet you for orientation. Have I made myself clear?" A very bored and a bit irritated looking Shikamaru announced.

"Hai, sensei!" came the class's collective response. With that being said he began to read off the list of teams.

"...Team Four: Hyuga Ryoku , Rock Ken , and Inuzuka Mitsu. Team Five: Aburame Senkou, Uchiha Zuiichi, and Sekiei Suzume. Team Six: Uzumaki Hideki, Hatake Ayame, and Uzumaki Hinode..." Shikamaru continued reading off the rest of the names, but two Uzumaki boys were too busy being thrilled about being on a team with Ayame. The young Hatake looked quite indifferent about it all. After the whole list was read Shikamaru instructed each team to come up to find out where they would be meeting with their jonin sensei. Team Six was instructed to meet their new sensei in a classroom on the third floor. As the trio waited Hinode remembered his father telling him about a little prank he had played on his sensei the first day they met. He stood on a chair to stick a dusty blackboard eraser between the door and the door frame then sat back down to see how the prank would turn out. Hideki shook his head while telling his brother he needed to grow up. The kids were on the edges of their seats when they heard someone open the door. At first all they saw was a hand reach in to catch the dirty eraser. The next thing they knew the dusty object beaned Hinode in the face. Hideki couldn't help but laugh at his brother as he choked on the chalk dust.

"Serves you right, Hinode!" Hideki teased as the jonin entered the door.

"Your dad might have been able to get away with that dumb trick, but that won't work on me. Remember that, squirt!" The three young ninja watched as a tall, brown haired man with a fat stogie in his mouth walked into the door. "Doutai Konohamaru's the name and making your life a living hell is my game. I can be your best friend or your worst enemy. It's your choice, so make up your mind right now what it's gonna be."

The three youngsters stared at the man for a moment. He had a stern expression on his face but his eyes bore a mischievous twinkle. Ayame didn't particularly care for his stinky cigar and the Uzumaki brothers wondered how in the world this man knew their father.

"Whaddaya say the four of us take a walk to get to know each other better?" The kids simply stared back at him in stunned silence. "Look, stop wasting time and get movin'!" The trio jumped up from their seats to follow Konohamaru out the door wondering what the jonin had in store for them.

**Next Chapter: How would you like to influence this story? Suggest a first mission for Team Six. Whether it ranges from dangerous to just plain silly, it doesn't matter as long as it's not boring! hee hee. Ja ne!**


	2. Getting to Know You

Chapter 2: Getting to Know You

The day was proving to be quite interesting for Team Six. Already they realized their sensei was a crazy, loudmouthed, cigar smoking man they weren't even sure if they liked or not. They were seated in a quiet spot not too far from the source of the hot springs and the dampness hung heavy in the humid air.

"All right, squirts, I've already introduced myself so now it's your turn. Let's start with you, the blond with the pink highlights." Hinode hated when people pointed that out, but he let it slide for now.

"I'm Uzumaki Hinode, son of the great Rokudaime Hokage. I'm studying medical ninjutsu under my mother and my goal is to provide support for my team. I like to play sports and hang out with pretty girls." He gave Ayame a smile and a wink as the young kunoichi pretty much ignored him.

"All right, pretty boy, how about you? What's your story?"

"I am Uzumaki Hideki, elder son of the Hokage. My specialty is the taijutsu techniques of the Hyuga Clan. I enjoy training hard to perfect my techniques. When I'm not doing that I like to play my Gamestation with friends. My favorite color is...lavender." Hideki looked over at Ayame when he made the last statement. His heart raced when he saw the tiniest hint of a smile on her face.

"Ok, now it's your turn, cutie. Tell me about yourself."

"The name's Hatake Ayame. I have two younger brothers named Shoji and Takamaru. Shoji is the best brother in the world, but Takamaru is a pain in the ass. A couple things I don't like are people that talk too much and stinky cigar smoke." Ayame glared at Konohamaru to emphasize the last phrase. "What I do like is singing and dancing and my favorite hobby is giving pedicures...but only for boys. Girls don't seem to appreciate the gesture."

Both boys and the man gave Ayame strange looks after her comment about her favorite hobby. None of them could think of anyone else who had such an odd hobby.

"Hey, um...Ayame, could I get one of your pedicures sometime?" Hinode dared to ask.

"Sure. I give 'em free of charge. We can set up an appointment later."

"Ok, enough with the metro-sexual chit chat. I just wanted us to spend a little time getting acquainted today. No pressure. Tomorrow, however will be a different story. So go home, get some rest and be ready for anything . Meet me a 08:00 at training ground fourteen. Don't be late. Ya got that, Hatake? I hope you haven't taken on your father's habit. That being said, you're all dismissed!"

It seemed like the genin couldn't leave fast enough. Although they were excited about their new lives as ninja they were still children who desired time for fun and games. The Uzumaki brothers couldn't wait to get home and tell their parents about their exciting day. No one said a word as the two boys burst into their father's office running their mouths a mile a minute.

"Papa, you won't believe who we got teamed up with!" Hinode started. Naruto winced at how loud the boy's voice was. He wondered briefly if that was how he sounded to everyone else at that age.

"Let me guess. Ayame?"

"How did you know?" Hideki asked.

"I'm the Hokage, so I had access to the list once it was complete."

"I knew it! You were keeping that from us the whole time!" Hinode complained.

"Of course I kept it from you. I was only being fair to your fellow classmates. Now, since you're both here you might as well help me with some paperwork." The two brothers began whining in stereo as they reluctantly obeyed their father. Naruto chuckled inwardly at his sons' pouting. They didn't realize that he was preparing him for future responsibilities as a shinobi. A ninja's life wasn't all fighting and excitement. It was balanced out with more mundane things like studying and paperwork. The Hokage figured they might as well learn that now rather than later. After subjecting his beloved sons to an hour's worth of torment Naruto told them to go back to the Hokage's mansion. Once the boys got home they took the initiative to tidy up the gaming room for that evening. Their father was hosting a get together for the children of friends and family who graduated from the academy and they wanted everything to be just right, especially when it came to a certain lavender haired girl. They made sure Ayame's favorite console game, _Superstar Karaoke_, was included among the choices.

Around four o'clock the guests started arriving. The Hyuga compound was the closest to the Hokage's mansion so Hiashi, his wife Suki, and their son Ryoku were the first to arrive. Hideki started discussing their sensei with his young uncle right away. He also asked Ryoku what it's like to have a team member who is blind.

"Ken and I haven't sparred yet, but I've heard that he's really good. No one at Lee-sensei's dojo likes to challenge him cuz they constantly lose to him. I know he's got to have some kind of weakness, but if the rumors are true he moves so fast no one's been able to figure out what that weakness is yet."

"Wow, he sounds like he would make a very interesting opponent," Hideki mused aloud as the Hatakes, Inuzukas, and Aburames all arrived together. All of the children carried back packs or overnight bags with changes of clothing. They all knew beforehand that this was going to be a pool party so they didn't waste any time scrambling to find a room to change into their swimwear. While the boys changed in Hideki's room Ayame and Mitsu used one of the guest rooms. The Inuzuka's wolf pup, Taisei, sat at the foot of the guest bed patiently waiting for the girls to change. Mistu saw this as an opportunity for some girl talk.

"So, Ayame, how are things going with you and your boyfriend?"

"What boyfriend?"

"Why Senkou, of course," Mitsu replied with a wink and a giggle. Ayame sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Why does every one assume he's my boyfriend? We're just friends, ok?" the young Hatake explained as she slipped on her silvery white one piece. "I'm not really worried about having a boyfriend right now because I'm focused on my training."

"Oh, how boring! Ayame, you should really try to have a little romance in your life. It'll make things so much more interesting!" the Inuzuka practically squealed as she slipped on her bright red two-piece.

"Really now? So you must have a boyfriend then?" Ayame inquired as she cocked an eyebrow giving her an uncanny resemblance to her father.

"Ummm...no. But at least I act like I'm interested!" Ayame gave an exasperated sigh.

"Look, I don't have time for boys. They can be such a distraction," the lavender haired girl huffed as she tied her hair into a ponytail.

"If you had time for boys what kind of boyfriend would you like?" Ayame crossed her arms as her face bore a thoughtful expression.

"Hmm...my boyfriend would be brave, strong, patient, intelligent..."

"Don't forget super kawaii!" Mitsu chimed in.

"That's really not that important to me. As long as he loves me and treats me well I'll be happy."

"Eww. Not only are you dull, Ayame, you're weird too." The twelve year old was about to make a nasty reply when there was a knock on the door. Ayame opened the door to reveal a rather nervous Suzume on the other side. She was the only genin there who showed up without her parents. Her father, Sekiei Mizuki, was serving a life sentence and her mother, Tsubaki, was off on an A-Rank mission. She was staying with Iruka until her mother's return. The other two girls quietly watched Suzume as she entered the room to change her clothing. It was noticeable that she felt awkward around the other children but none of the other genin understood why. Perhaps it was because of the bad blood between her father and the Hokage because of Mizuki's past crimes, but she wasn't much of a talker so no one could really conclude anything. Without a word she changed into her black boy cut bottom and a halter top. The bottom part of her swimsuit had a shuriken pattern on each side of the legs.

"I like your swimsuit. It's cute!" Mitsu complimented.

"T-thanks," Suzume managed to stutter out. Without another word the girls headed out to the pool. As they went out the back door Mitsu tapped Ayame on the shoulder.

"Hey, Ayame, since you and Senkou aren't an item...could you introduce me to him?" Ayame rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"Fine, but if he's not interested don't get mad at me."

Out in the Hokage's huge backyard the party was already in full swing. Between the music, laughter and the sounds of children playing all the young kunoichi knew this was going to be a lot of fun. Ayame stepped out onto the sunlit yard and a rare smile spread across her face. She decided to put all serious thoughts about her training aside and enjoy being with friends and family.

**Next Chapter: It's a party with a bunch of adolescents so you know there's going to be some kissing going on! The question is who will it be? Also a certain Siren of Sound causes a stir at the poolside. Review, my darlings and bring my heart much joy!**


	3. Kiss, Kiss, Boing, Boing

Chapter 3: Kiss, Kiss, Boing, Boing

Everybody loves a party. Even party poopers because without them they would have nothing to ruin. The Hokage's mansion was the place to be if you were a newly inducted genin in Konoha. The huge pool was filled with splashing children while the Hokage acted as lifeguard. He was having a great time talking to the young ninja and the kids were just crazy about him. Naruto had his serious moments but when it came to having fun with the children it all came naturally. If he saw a child hanging off by themselves he would take time to talk to him or her to help them become more comfortable around others. Seeing a child sitting off from the others all alone brought back painful memories for him and he didn't want anyone else to go through what he went through.

Naruto asked Suzume if she wanted anything to eat. When she nodded shyly he asked Sakura to take her over to the canopy where the food was set up. He smiled when he saw his son, Hinode, strike up a conversation with her. That boy reminded him a lot of himself when it came to making friends. The Hokage made his way over to Aburame Senkou, who was sitting under a tree with his baby sister, Aki. Naruto offered to watch the four year old while Senkou went swimming. Senkou declined the offer with his reason being that his didn't know how to swim.

"I could teach you if you like, Senkou," Naruto offered with a bright smile.

"That's ok. I'll pass." Senkou went back to playing with Aki as the Rokudaime wondered if the boy was afraid of water or something. As he returned to the poolside Naruto noticed Hinata come outside and approach Kakashi. After the Hokage's wife relayed her message Hatake-san went into the house while a boy with auburn hair came out the back entrance. Kakashi greeted the child who just cut his eyes at him and kept going. Naruto thought that was odd behavior for the boy since he had always known him to be polite.

"Oi, Shoji! Come on over and join us in the pool!" the Uzumaki called out to the young sand shinobi. The Kazekage's son casually walked over with his towel slung over his shoulder. He didn't look too happy so Naruto asked him if everything was all right.

"I'm fine, Hokage-sama," came his curt reply as he ran over to his two siblings, Ayame and Takamaru. Naruto could tell something was wrong with Gaara's only son, and he was determined to find out what it was before the party was over.

Meanwhile, a certain silver haired shinobi had made his way to one of the guest rooms in the mansion. He tapped on the door and smiled when he heard a very familiar voice come from the other side.

"Is that you, Kakashi-kun?"

"Yes, my love. Are you decent?"

"No, not really."

"Then I'm coming in," Kakashi responded with a lecherous smirk. A half naked Megumi teased her husband about his perverted ways as he closed the door behind him. "Is that any way to treat your master? Now greet me properly, Megumi-chan," Kakashi playfully scolded as he slapped a hand across his wife's exposed ass.

"But, Kakashi-sama, we're not at home and..."

"Oh no, my sweet. I haven't seen you in three months so the least you could do is greet me properly." Kakashi stepped up behind his wife to reach around and fondle her breasts. Megumi's face was now beet red at the thought of doing such a thing in the Hokage's home with children wandering around the place. She figured it was her fault for marrying a pervert.

"Kakashi-sama, I'll do as you ask, but can we please make this quick?" Her husband conceded with a disappointed sigh.

"You'll give me a proper greeting when we get home later, ok?"

"Hai, Kakashi-sama," Megumi agreed as she got down on her knees.

A few minutes later there was a knock on the door. Hinata was making her rounds getting drink orders for the adults.

"Megumi-sama, did you want to let me know what you're having to drink? I need to know if you're having something to be mixed in the blender."

"Ummm...mo tenks, Himata-summa." Hinata got an odd look on her face at the strange sound of Megumi's voice. She sounded like she had a mouth full of...something.

"How about your husband? Does he want anything?"

"Mo, mot ret now. Tenks emmy weh."

"All right. I guess I'll see you out back." Hinata walked away from the door wondering what the hell was going on in that guest room.

By five o'clock the Uchihas had arrived and the party guest list was complete. Zuiichi quickly changed and ran out to play with his two best buddies, Hideki and Hinode. Naruto noticed that Suzume suddenly became lively once Zuiichi showed up. He could tell Sasuke's first born liked the girl too as they splashed each other in the pool. When he heard a sudden collective gasp he noticed that all the boys were looking towards the mansion. He followed their gaze to see a sight that even took his breath away. The Otokage was walking towards the pool holding her husband's hand. She was wearing a shimmering copper colored one piece that showed just the right amount of cleavage that would lead to a lot of locked bedroom and bathroom doors in quite a few homes later that night. Her long dark locks swayed in the summer breeze as her breasts bounced just enough to get a couple boys slapping their hands over their noses. The other boys watched as Ayame and Takamaru ran to greet their mother, whom they hadn't seen in three months. After receiving a shower of hugs and kisses from her children Megumi made her way over to Senkou, who was still sitting under a tree with his little sister. The Siren of Sound knelt next to the boy and struck up a conversation.

"Hi, Senkou. It's good to see you sweetie," she greeted with a bright smile. She then kissed one of Aki's chubby cheeks.

"Konbanwa, Otokage-sama." Senkou stared at the woman as if he was in awe of her. Her cleavage was at just the right height for him to get a good view, and what an amazing view it was.

"Why aren't you in the pool with the others?"

"Ano...because I don't know how to swim."

"I could teach you how to stay afloat if you want. It'll be fun. Would you like that?"

"Y-yes ma'am!" The young bug master practically leaped up from the ground, took his baby sister to his mother, and ran to the poolside. While Megumi taught Senkou how to float on his back, Naruto gave Kakashi a look that was worth a thousand words.

"I told her not to wear that swimsuit, but she insisted. You're not going to hold me responsible for any nosebleeds, are you, Naruto?" The Hokage stared at Kakashi for a moment before perking up.

"Eh, it's not your fault your wife is smokin' hot. Besides, the kids are having a great time! Except for Shoji. I noticed he's been acting strange." Kakashi's cheerful mood suddenly became serious.

"Well, he's still pretty unhappy about some changes in his family life. His mother and father are trying to help him get through it, but he's being a bit rebellious."

"Oh, I see. You don't have to give me any details. I know how you guys don't like discussing anything deeply personal. I just hope Shoji will be ok."

"He'll be fine. We'll see to that."

Soon it was 6:30 PM so the Hokage decided it was time to clear the kids out of the pool so they could switch to indoor activities. Ayame took Ken by the hand as the Uzumaki boys led their friends to the gaming room, except for the preschool age ones who stayed with their parents. Ayame proved herself to be the karaoke queen much to the delight of her admirers. Not only did she have a beautiful voice she had some show stopping moves. The kids then challenged each other in a racing game and then a fighting game until they were all gamed out. Sore thumbs and bloodshot eyes let them know it was time to take a break from the console. Hinode decided to liven things up with an old fashioned game of truth or dare. All the kids wrote their names on slips of paper and put them into an empty bowl. One by one the kids challenged each other to silly dares like eating bugs, which Aburame Senkou absolutely refused to do. Most of the truth challenges were about who liked who and how far they had gotten with kissing and such. When Takamaru's turn finally came he felt the gods had smiled upon him when he pulled his sister's name.

"All right, Ayame-nee-chan. Truth or Dare?" Ayame thought long and hard about her choice. She knew her youngest brother had a knack for embarrassing her. She figured any dare he came up with would be stupid and very juvenile and she really didn't want to tell her personal business in front of all those people.

"I choose dare I guess," she stated in a manner that showed she was resigned to whatever fate her annoying brother had in mind for her.

"Ayame, I dare you...to kiss both Uzumakis at the same time!" Takamaru announced with a dramatic flare. "And no cutesy kissy-poos either. There better be some tongue action." Ayame glared at her brother with a frown chiseled onto her delicate features.

"Why you wicked, wicked child," she hissed as her upper lip began to tremble.

"Ah, ah, ah! Less talk, more lip action! Now get to it, sister!" With a heavy sigh the lavender haired girl made her way over to the now blushing Uzumaki brothers. The other kids watched as she hugged the boys close to her so she could whisper into their ears.

"I'm sorry. I didn't want our first kiss to be this way, but a dare is a dare."

Ayame pushed the brothers' faces together so that they were cheek to cheek. She then angled their faces so that her lips would touch both of theirs at the same time. The other kids leaned in close to watch the main event as the young Hatake pressed her lips against the lips of the two obviously excited brothers. Hideki couldn't believe her amazingly soft lips were touching his. He had dreamed of this moment for so long he thought it would never come. Hinode's lips twitched and his breath quickened when he tasted the spicy mustard that lingered on the girl's breath. All the observing kids gasped when Ayame tilted Hideki's head slightly and deepened the kiss. The dark haired boy could hardly contain his excitement when he felt her warm tongue slither into his mouth. He was left breathless when she broke off the kiss to do the same to his younger brother. After about thirty seconds their lips parted and the girl turned to her brother to give him an 'are you satisfied?' glare. Takamaru was stunned that she actually did it, and did it well at that. Unfortunately the game had to be cut short because both Uzumaki boys sat there staring into space as if they had both fallen into some kind of ecstasy induced coma. This was definitely a party none of the young shinobi would never forget.

**Next Chapter: The adults have fun discussing their sometimes troublesome children. Also, what's got Shoji so upset?**


	4. Grown Folks' Business

Chapter 4: Grown Folks' Business

It was now an hour after sunset and it was pretty obvious the Hokage's mansion was the place to be. While most of the children had fun in the game room their parents relaxed in the huge common area. Naruto-sama didn't want to worry about anyone falling off of stools and out of chairs so everyone made use of body pillows on the hardwood floor. Everyone was enjoying their drinks except for Rock Lee and Megumi, neither of which could handle alcohol that well. Lee's wife, Ten-Ten kept a close eye on what he would put to his lips. She made sure to take a sip of his drink to make sure it was definitely alcohol free. The last thing they needed was a drunken Lee trashing the Hokage's mansion.

There wasn't much heavy drinking going on. The parents knew they had to be able to get home with their children. If not they would have to make use of the many guest rooms to sleep it off over night. Hiashi's wife, Suki had to do that once but her drunken snoring and naked sleepwalking was enough to make the Uzumakis decide to hide the sweet sake from her and serve it to her in small doses. The Rokudaime had told everyone there to make themselves at home and apparently a couple of his guests took that to heart. Four year old Aki was asleep in Shino's arms and Kakashi was snoozing with his head laying on a pillow in his wife's lap. The Otokage stroked his masked cheek and chuckled at Sakura's comment about him being about as lazy as Shikamaru. Megumi knew he was just resting up so they could celebrate her homecoming right proper at home later.

The adults had quite a lively conversation going about something they all had in common; their children. Everyone was curious about how Sasuke and Ino kept their brood of five so well behaved.

"Oh, it's simple. Sasuke is the scariest daddy on the face of the earth. They know if word gets back that they had been acting up in public there would be hell to pay," Ino explained as their youngest son, Saiyuki, sat quietly in his mother's lap. He was only four and was obviously well disciplined. The older children were in the gaming room with the rest and even they knew better than to act up in the Hokage's mansion. Too bad the Hokage's own sons hadn't learned from the Uchihas example.

"For the most part those two are pretty well behaved, especially Hideki. But when he and his brother get to bickering it's hard to get them to stop," Naruto commented with a sigh.

"What could those two boys possibly have to bicker about?" the Otokage asked.

"Your lovely daughter, of course," Naruto replied with a wide grin. At that moment Kakashi's visible eye popped open and he sat up with a yawn. "Heh, that woke you up! Anyway, I noticed you pulled a Kakashi on us earlier, Megumi-sama, and actually showed up later than your husband. What caused the delay?"

"Shoji wanted to stop by Miyu's grave and pay his respects." The bright mood suddenly got darker. It had been a while since anyone dared to mention the name of the Hatakes' deceased child. No one dared to even discuss the tragic circumstances which led to her death. Naruto thought back to Shoji's earlier behavior and began to understand the boy's dark mood. Miyu's death caused plenty of chaos in the Kazekage's home which resulted in Shoji's unhappiness which he expressed through his rebellious behavior. It was decided that the Kazekage's son would go live with his mother in Oto. He wasn't getting along with his half-siblings nor his stepmother and he couldn't stand the sight of the one who killed his unborn baby sister, even if it was a horrible accident.

Hinata tried to brighten the mood by talking about some of the silly things their children have done, like Hinode pouring laundry detergent into the mineral bath, Mitsu learning the hard way why it's important to clean up after her wolf pup (eww), and Ayame's impromptu song she called _I Love My Daddy, But Takamaru is a Doody Head. _The lavender haired girl even got a hold of her father's camera and made a video of the whole thing. Hinata succeeded in her mission to get everyone laughing. She hated to see her friends sad and hurting.

It was getting close to bedtime for the kids, especially the younger ones. Sasuke called his five children one by one, youngest to oldest, and they obediently lined up like good little soldiers before filing out behind their father. Ino looked over at the other parents and shrugged as she took up the rear. The Aburames were next to bid the Hokage and his family goodnight. Kiba grabbed a hold of his daughter's collar to prevent her from sneaking out with them to be with Senkou.

"You'd better concentrate more on your training starting tomorrow than on boys, Mitsu. Now c'mon, let's go." Kiba whistled for Akamaru as his daughter called for Taisei. She then left with her father with a disappointed expression on her face. Ten-Ten gave Hinata and Sakura a hug before taking her son's hand. Ken took time to thank the Hokage for such an enjoyable time with his friends as his partner, Kodai the monkey, perched on his shoulder.

As the Hatakes and Shoji left for the night Takamaru started to tattle on his sister about something, but Ayame threatened him with bodily harm with a simple hand gesture. The nine year old decided to save it until she wasn't around. After everyone was gone several servants started to clean up. Fortunately the mess wasn't too bad. The Hokage's family didn't think anything of helping to clean, despite the protest of the servants. Although it was their job they were glad the Rokudaime didn't think himself so high and mighty that he couldn't clean up a mess he helped make. After that was done the moment came for Naruto's quiet time with his two wives, which meant bedtime for his sons. Before the brothers went to bed they pulled their father aside for some guy talk. Naruto could tell something had them really excited.

"Papa, something wonderful happened tonight!" Hideki began.

"What was it?

"Ayame kissed me!" Hinode announced proudly.

"What do you mean, she kissed _you_? She kissed us both at the same time!" Naruto's eyes grew wide as a smile blossomed on his face.

"My, my. It looks like Ayame's stealing hearts and taking names. And how did this all come about?" Hideki blushed a little and scratched his chin.

"Well...Takamaru dared her to do it. But wow, is she a great kisser!"

"Yeah! I hope we do it again soon!" Hinode added with a dreamy look in his eyes.

"You two be careful now. Make sure she doesn't toy with your hearts and lead you on." Naruto warmed in a bit of a teasing way.

"Oh, my Ayame wouldn't do such a thing, Papa," Hideki responded in all seriousness.

"What do you mean _your_ Ayame?"

"It's obvious you're not mature enough for her so I'm definitely the better choice."

"Oh yeah? Well, me and my two fists disagree!"

"All right, boys, that's enough. You are brothers so act like it. And none of this arguing while training or out on missions. Focus on working together as a team. And absolutely no showing off for Ayame. She doesn't seem like the type who would be impressed anyway." The two boys looked at their father like he was crazy for a few seconds before promising to heed his advice. When the boys headed to their respective bedrooms Naruto headed to his own trying his best to stifle the giggles bubbling up inside of him. The way his boys fussed over Ayame tickled him to the core, and yet he remembered how he used to make a fool of himself over Sakura when he was that age. Once he found out Hinata liked him he pulled even crazier stunts. It got even worse when he fell in love with her. He was glad his boys only fussed and didn't get into fisticuffs over the girl they both adored. In spite of their bickering he knew his sons cared for each other and nothing could break their brotherly bond, not even a girl. Once he got to his bedchamber Naruto undressed and settled down for the night with his two wives.

"Hinata-chan, Sakura-chan, it's that time again!" Naruto announced.

"And what time would that be, husband?" Hinata asked in fake wonderment.

"Cuddle time!" the child-like Hokage cheered as his wives laughed at his antics as they snuggled against him on each side. "Ahh, this is nice. I don't have to worry about any obscene drunken snoring or naked sleepwalkers traumatizing our sons. I didn't think their nosebleeds would ever stop!" Naruto sighed happily as each wife kissed his whiskered cheeks.

"So, what did the boys have to talk to you about that was so important?" Sakura asked as she rubbed a hand over her handsome husband's pecs.

"Eh, it was no big deal. They just had their first kiss tonight." That's when both wives sat straight up.

"What? With who?" Hinata practically squealed.

"Ayame, of course." Naruto continued while picking at a fingernail.

"They both kissed Ayame?" Sakura tried to imagine how they pulled that one off.

"Actually, she kissed them...at the same time." Both mothers imagination had to work overtime to wrap their brains around that one.

"Why that little tease," Sakura commented with a smirk. "I never knew she had it in her."

"Well, she is her mother's daughter, after all." Naruto and Sakura looked at little surprised at Hinata's statement. It was a known fact that the Otokage had both a husband and a lover for a very long time.

"Hina-chan, such naughty thoughts. The girl is only twelve so I doubt she's even thinking _that _way."

"You never know what she's been exposed to though," Sakura mused. "Consider who her parents are." Naruto got a disdainful expression on his face.

"All right, that's enough of that discussion. These are kids we're talking about. I'm sure they're still pretty much innocent."

"This from the one who created the Sexy Jutsu and Harem Jutsu when he was their age," Sakura sneered causing Hinata to have a fit of giggles. Naruto admitted defeat but only after quieting his wives' teasing with some teasing of his own. He pulled Sakura to him and began kissing and suckling her neck.

"Sakura-chan, I'm going to teach you to show your husband respect." The trio now realized their quiet time wasn't going to end that quietly.

Meanwhile two Uzumaki boys were unable to sleep. Both were pondering thoughts of that amazing kiss from an amazing girl. The knowledge that they would be seeing that girl the very next morning got them even more excited. Unbeknownst to the other, both brothers prayed that they would have the guts to return the kiss. They were both pretty embarrassed that they froze up on her and weren't able to return the gesture to the object of their affection.

'I'm going to kiss you, Ayame, and make you mine!' both boys thought at the same time before their thoughts were interrupted by the familiar sounds of their parents' 'quiet time.' They both flopped back on their pillows wishing they had the charm and confidence their father had. Each boy decided within his heart that he would confess his true feelings to Ayame in his own way...as soon as he could think of something, which was easier said than done.

**Next Chapter: Konohamaru-sensei challenges Team Six to see how they work together . Will the boys be able to put aside their feelings to complete the task? Also, you asked for it, so their first mission will be in the Land of Waves!**


	5. Can We All Just Get Along?

Chapter 5: Can We All Just Get Along?

It was an hour before dawn, and at a time when most children still had snot bubbles forming in their noses the children of a certain elite jonin and the Fifth Kazekage were already up and about. The irony of it all was that their parents were still sleeping. Ayame came out of the hall bathroom wide awake with her usual semi-bored expression in her lilac colored robe and matching slippers. If the Uzumaki boys had been there the would have squealed with joy at how cute she looked. She greeted her favorite brother, Shoji, as he entered the washroom which was still steamy from her recent shower. She stopped by her parents' room to peek in on them. They were fast asleep and curled up in each other's arms as expected, but Ayame couldn't deny she felt a little worried about her mother. She had heard the sounds of weeping in the middle of the night and was sure her brothers heard it too. She had a theory about why her mother was so sad and wished to do something to at least cheer her up. She thought back to the night before when her family had cuddle time, which was a rare treat. She and Takamaru snuggled between their parents' but for some reason Shoji wouldn't join them, which made the young girl a little sad and disappointed. Her brother had changed form the sweet, affectionate boy she once knew and loved into a detached and cold one. He had been that way ever since all hell broke loose in the Kazekage's home.

While Ayame prepared breakfast the aforementioned brother joined her in the kitchen. He wordlessly flopped down in a chair to stare out of a window at nothing in particular. It was still dark outside and nothing really interesting was going on. A few minutes later an irritable Takamaru soon followed.

"I'm hungry. Where's my food?" he grumbled.

"Well, good morning to you too, baby brother," Ayame sneered as she set breakfast out on the table.

"Erm...morning, Ayame-nee-san." The nine year old boy didn't waste any time piling food onto his plate. His sister scolded him for being so greedy and ordered him to save some for everyone else. The still groggy boy grudgingly obeyed. It was a good thing because his parents were right around the corner. All three children looked a bit shocked at their mother's very drained appearance. It didn't take away from her beauty, but it did make them a little concerned.

"Good morning, my babies," Megumi greeted in her usual manner but without the sparkle in her cat like eyes. Her children returned the greeting then simply stared at her as she sat down at the table. Her husband massaged her shoulders and kissed her on top of the head before sitting at the head of the table.

"Shoji, come over here and have breakfast," Kakashi quietly ordered. At first Shoji responded with a look of defiance until his mother give him a warning glance. He quietly obeyed but he didn't look too happy about it. "You'll be training with me and your mother today, so eat up. And Takamaru, stop picking at your food." The little boy slowly brought his chopsticks to his mouth then set them down against his plate before voicing the thought that was on all of the children's minds.

"Mommy...why were you crying last night?" The whole room suddenly became dead silent as all three children looked to their mother for an answer.

"Finish your breakfast, sweetheart so you can get dressed for school," came the Otokage's reply. Her son looked really hurt that she had avoided answering his question and decided to drop the subject. Megumi looked over to her husband when she felt his hand squeeze he thigh under the table. The rest of the meal was finished in a quiet uneasy atmosphere. While the kids cleaned up the dishes Ayame scolded her youngest brother for not finishing his food.

"If I had let you pile all that extra food on your plate you would have let it go to waste."

"Whatever. Since when did you become my mother?" Takamaru snapped.

"Takamaru, Ayame, that's enough! You two go upstairs and get dressed. Shoji clean the dishes." All three of them looked a little scared. They had never heard their mother raise her voice at them like that before. All three decided to do what they were told and do it fast. After they all got dressed they met their mother back in the kitchen where she was holding a fresh bowl of incense. They didn't have to be told what it was for so they simply followed behind Kakashi and Megumi. The family went out the back door then knelt down in front of a small shrine as Megumi lit the incense. They all clasped their hands together and prayed a silent prayer for little Miyu before everyone went their separate ways. Megumi and Shoji left to escort Takamaru to school while Kakashi went to make his usual stop at the memorial stone and Ayame headed off to meet with her team at the training grounds. She hoped her teammates were having a better morning than she was.

Not surprisingly, the Uzumaki boys had made their journey to the training grounds into a race. Neither brother wanted the other to get to Ayame first. Although their father told them not to show off they didn't see anything wrong with a bit of healthy competition. While the boys jetted through the lush green treetops

Hideki activated his Byakugan to see father ahead than his brother. He came to a sudden halt and warned Hinode to stop.

"I'm not falling for that trick! You just want me to lose the raaaaacccceee!" Hideki sighed and shook his head as his brother struggled to get out of a net that had been hidden amongst the leaves. Moments later both boys heard a voice shout at them from below.

"Hinode, you should listen to your teammates when they warn you of danger. In this case you got embarrassed in front of a pretty girl. Next time it could cost you your life." Both Uzumakis looked down to see Konohamaru with a stogie in his mouth and Ayame standing next to him.

"Brace yourself, Hinode! I'm going to cut you down." Ayame threw a kunai which cut the net open. Hinode tried to brace himself but he still ended up falling to the ground with an almost bone crunching thud.

"I'm ok, I'm ok," the blonde chanted as he got back on his feet as his brother landed next to him.

"All right, that's enough bullshittin' around. Let's get to that challenge I promised." Team Six stood before their sensei as he looked down at them with a bit of a creepy grin. "Ok, squirts, listen up. Your challenge is plain and simple. I want you to knock my cigar out of my mouth. Good luck, because not even my wife has been able to do that and she's a Hyuga!" That statement right there got Hideki's attention. "All right, kids, on three. One...two...THREE!"

Team Six should have known this seemingly easy task wouldn't be easy at all. Konohamaru was way too fast for them. Even when all three of them came at him all at once he blocked all of their attacks. Even his jaw was too fast for them. He quickly switched the position of the cigar in his mouth which would have been a comical sight if the genin weren't so frustrated by it. They got even more annoyed when he began to evade them with his hands in his pockets. When two of them grabbed hold of his arms while the third jumped on his back, the jonin simply laughed and shrugged them off as if they were dandruff. Konohamaru shook his head as he looked down at the roughed up kids panting on the ground before him.

"Pitiful! Absolutely pitiful! Not one of you were able to lay a hand on my cigar. Look, ya got til lunchtime to get my stogie. You don't get it ya don't eat!"

"Hey, that's not fair!" Hinode protested.

"Tough shit, kid! Ya got one hour, but by then this baby just might be a pile of ashes, so you better get crackin'!" Their sensei ambled off with his hands in his pockets laughing his ass off. An angry Hinode was about to jump him from behind but Ayame stopped him.

"Listen, you guys. I think I have an idea that will stop him in his tracks." After listening to her plan the brothers agreed to carry it out and took their positions while Ayame performed a series of hand signs. Moments later Konohamaru had two thirteen year olds hanging from his sides once again. "Oh, c'mon! You mean you kids couldn't think of anything better than this? Hey, where's your little girlfriend?" Before he could get an answer from the boys two hands busted out of the ground, grabbed his ankles, then pulled him down until only his head was visible. A triumphant Ayame walked over to snatch the stogie from her sensei's mouth, throw it on the ground and stomp on it.

"That's the Head Hunter Jutsu taught to me by my father, Hatake Kakashi!" Ayame declared while snapping her fingers in her sensei's face.

"Ok, I gotta admit you kids did a good job. Lunch is on me," Konohamaru conceded as Team Six cheered. "But first things first. Would you please get me outta this damn hole?"

Of course Konohamaru treated the kids to the cheapest and fastest lunch in Konoha at Ichiraku Ramen. Just because it was affordable doesn't mean it wasn't good though. The Rokudaime got Konohamaru hooked on the famous delicacy when both of them were still children. Although the Uzumaki brothers weren't as obsessed with ramen as their father, they had to admit the stuff was pretty darn delicious. It came as no surprise that the Hokage decided to take a lunch break at Ichiraku Ramen. Naruto greeted Team Six and asked them how their first day of training went. Ayame excused herself in the middle of the conversation to go to the restroom. Naruto used that as an opportunity to have a private conversation with his sons.

"So, did you take my advice?"

"Yes sir!" Hideki replied. "We didn't show off or anything."

"We even let Ayame plan our strategy and she came up with a great idea for us to complete the challenge!" Hinode added. "Yeah, my Ayame is not only pretty, she's super cool too!"

"Yeah...hey wait a minute! You can't claim Ayame as yours. You haven't even gotten the nerve to kiss her yet!"

"Oh yeah? W-well, neither have you, Hideki!"

"Oh, I've got the nerve, I just haven't had the chance to do it yet!"

"The chance to do what?" a silky, feminine voice asked. The boys now realized Ayame had returned from the restroom. In a panic, Hideki tried to think of something convincing to tell her.

"The chance to...umm...try out a new jutsu! Yeah, that's it!"

"Oh, cool. What kind of jutsu?"

"Ummm...ummmm...well, it's so new I haven't even thought up a name for it yet."

"Oh, ok. Well, when you come up with a name for it and perfect it maybe you can show it to me sometime."

"Umm...sure. That would be great." Hideki didn't sound too enthusiastic about that idea and Hinode was trying very hard not to bust out laughing at his poor brother attempting to cover his ass. After they had lunch Konohamaru told Team Six their training was done for the day. The Hokage told his sons to head home while he talked to their sensei.

"So, Konohamaru, how are the kids doing so far?" Naruto inquired.

"Aren't you going to wait until I turn in my report?"

"Ha, ha, very funny. Just give me a basic rundown."

"Well, Hideki seems pretty level headed and has a keen eye for spotting traps. Hinode on the other hand has to learn to listen to his teammates and not forge ahead on his own all the time. Ayame seems to be a pretty good leader so far. She certainly showed me that she can get those two boys to work together."

"Ok, not bad. They need a little work, but that's to be expected. Now, do you think you can have them ready for their first mission by the end of the week?"

"Depends. What's the rank?"

"C-rank. I need some documents delivered to the Mizukage. There's something else I want them to do while there..."

While the Rokudaime and the jonin continued their conversation the Uzumaki boys escorted their teammate home. Their training session had them really hyped up and they couldn't wait to tell their family all about it.

"Man, you guys, we make a great team! Just think that soon we'll be going on high ranking missions and clients from all around will be hiring us left and right!"

"Calm down, Hinode. We just started training today. I doubt we'll be getting anything above C-rank for a while."

"Hideki...you can be such a killjoy," the younger Uzumaki responded with a pout.

"I can say this though. I really like working with you guys. It lots of fun. I can't wait to see what's in store for us tomorrow." The boys couldn't help but smile at Ayame's assessment. It made them so happy that she liked training with them. Neither one of them wanted to turn the pretty girl off. The trio finally arrived at the Hatake residence. Before going inside she kissed each of them on the cheek. After she went inside the two brothers stood there beside themselves with glee. They both cursed themselves for not having the guts to return the gesture as they shuffled along home. Hinode decided to brighten the mood by teasing his brother about his 'awesome new jutsu with no name.' Hideki couldn't help but laugh at himself for that mess he talked himself into.

"Well, brother there's only one solution to your problem. You need to come up with a kick ass jutsu and fast! While you're doing that I'm going to play me some Gamestation!"

"Oh no you don't, Hinode! I haven't gotten the chance to whip your ass in _Sword of the Ancients _yet!"

"You're on!"

Filling the streets of Konoha with the sounds of their typical banter, the Uzumaki boys teased and goaded each other all the way home.

**Next Chapter: Team Six goes on their first official mission to Mizu. On a side note, please stop by my forum to participate in a very important poll that will affect the outcome of this story. So far there have been two votes and it's a tie between two characters. The link to my forum is in my profile. Stop by today and make your vote count!**


	6. To See Her Smile

**A/N: What a surprise! Someone I didn't expect is ahead in the polls! Keep those votes coming in! I plan on drawing Ayame kissing whoever gets the most votes. I already found a perfect pose for the pic. This should be interesting.**

Chapter 6: To See Her Smile

It was now the following week and three young genin were up early preparing for their first mission together. Hideki had showered and got partially dressed and was now putting his ninja wrappings on his arms while his mother, Hinata, put them on his legs. At the same time Sakura was helping her son pack his medical supplies and some dried herbs. Their father had already gone to his office in the Hokage tower. Team Six was going to meet with him to receive their mission debriefing then head out. Once the brothers made it to the Hokage's office they discovered that their sensei and Ayame were already there.

"Good morning, squirts! Nice of you to join us!" Konohamaru teased. Something seemed off about him today. It took a moment for the boys to realize he didn't have a cigar in his mouth. Hinode walked up next to Ayame and gently bumped his shoulder against hers and smiled while a serious looking Hideki stood next to his brother.

"Now that everyone's here I can debrief you on your mission," Naruto announced. He pulled out a scroll with the Uzumaki seal on it from one of his desk drawers. He then held it up for Konohamaru to take. "Team Konohamaru, your mission is C-rank and has two parts. First of all I want you to deliver those documents to the Mizukage. Do not open the scroll. No matter how tempting it may be you won't like the consequences. Second, I'm providing a map to the graves of two important people. Zabuza and Haku of the Village Hidden in the Mist (Kirigakure). I want you to make sure the graves have been maintained and if not do what you can to make them decent and report your findings back to me once you return. Any questions?"

"No, sir!" Team Six barked before bowing to the Hokage in respect.

"Very well. Good luck with your mission."

As the team exited the gates of Konoha Konohamaru couldn't help but chuckle at the bubbly, energetic chatter of the three genin. They were obviously excited about their first official mission and that was quite understandable.

"Hey, kids, I know this is pretty exciting for you and all, but don't forget that this is a mission. A potentially dangerous one at that. So keep on your toes and stay alert."

The young genin kept their sensei's words in mind as they headed southeast towards the Land of Waves. It would take several days to get there so the team was fully prepared to set up camp until sunrise. As expected, Hinode was very talkative during their journey. Not only did he bear a strong resemblance to his father he shared a lot of his personality traits. He noticed Ayame was quiet and looked a little down.

"Hey, Ayame, is something bothering you?"

"No, why do you ask?"

"Because you look...sad." Hinode was a little worried about his teammate since she seemed to be dealing with some unspoken issue.

"It's nothing you can help with, so don't worry about it, ok?"

Hinode shoved his hands in his pockets and shuffled along beside Ayame. It bothered him that she didn't seem to want to open up to him. They had grown up together and yet there were times when Ayame was a complete mystery.

It was getting close to twilight and the sun had already begun to set. The team was halfway to the border between Fire Country and the Land of Tea. Since they didn't have much daylight to work with Konohamaru gave the order to set up camp.

"Ok, squirts, were going to keep watch in three hour shifts. Hinode and I will be on the first shift. After that Ayame and Hideki will relieve us. Now that that's been made clear, let's put up the tents!"

Hinode was none too happy with the night watch shifts, but of course Hideki was thrilled. However the son of the Hyuuga heiress kept his composure. He didn't want to look like an immature little brat in front of the young Hatake princess. Konohamaru laughed at the Uzumaki brothers' looks of surprise when it was revealed that they would be sharing a tent and Ayame would be in the same tent as their sensei.

"You must be crazy to think I would let either one of you horn dogs share a tent with a pretty girl like her."

"Excuse me, but I would never do anything undignified to Ayame!" Hideki protested in an indignant tone. "Hinode on the other hand is actually a bit of a pervert."

"What? Who are you calling a pervert?!" Hinode screeched.

"I thought it was pretty clear I was talking about you," Hideki snorted.

"Oh yeah? Well at least I'm not boring!"

Ayame could see that a blowout was brewing so with a heavy sigh she crawled into the tent and settled down in her sleeping bag. She was very tired and didn't want to have to deal with their bickering.

"Will you two shut up!" Konohamaru was so loud that he startled the brothers into silence. "Man, you two make me regret that I gave up smoking for this mission! Sheesh! Hideki, go hit the sack while your brother and I keep watch." The dark haired genin obeyed with a smile because he knew he was going to get some alone time with Ayame later. He stuck his tongue out at Hinode before ducking into the tent, barely dodging a pinecone Hinode had chucked at his head.

Konohamaru and Hinode's three hour shift was pretty uneventful. All that could be heard was the wind rustling through the leaves rustling through the trees and the occasional hoot of an unseen owl. After their watch was over Konohamaru went to wake up Ayame and Hinode went to wake up his brother. Seeing his brother sleeping there so peacefully brought out the prankster in young Hinode. He found a dead cricket outside of their tent, set it on his brother's cheek, then tickled Hideki's nose. By reflex Hideki swiped his hand at his face smashing the bug all over his cheek. The groggy Uzumaki woke to a laughing brother and a disgusting mess on his face. Konohamaru had to break up the wrestling match that ensued. The odd thing was Hinode was cracking up the whole time.

After their sensei and teammate settled down for the night, Ayame and Hideki manned their posts. Hideki had to use some of his canteen water to wash his face before stoking the campfire. It was a cool summer night so there was a bit of a chill in the air. The dark haired genin noticed that his teammate was shivering despite the warmth of the campfire.

"Ayame-chan, if you're cold I can get you my blanket if you want," Hideki offered, being quite the gentleman.

"Thank you, Hideki-kun, but I'm fine," she quietly replied as she leaned closer to the fire for warmth. She sat back on the log and wrapped her arms around herself and vigorously rubbed her hands over her arms to keep warm. Hideki shook his head, dashed into his and his brother's tent, and fetched a blanket. He gently draped it over the girl's shoulders with a smile on his face warmer than the campfire. He sat next to her to put an arm around her shoulders.

"You know, it's ok to accept help from others, especially ones who care about you," Hideki quietly stated as he gave her shoulder a squeeze. His words seemed to cause her icy demeanor to thaw a little as she pulled the blanket tightly around her upper body. In the flickering light of the campfire Hideki could see the tiniest hint of a smile form on her face. At the same time her dark eyes seemed to glisten with tears. Ayame spoke once again, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Hideki-kun, have you ever been in a situation where someone you love was hurting and it seemed as if no matter what you did you couldn't make things better?" Her bottom lip quivers as a single tear rolled down her cheek.

"I know what that's like, Ayame-chan. I'm going through that right now."

"Really? Someone you love is in pain?"

"Yes, and I'm looking right at her," Hideki replied in all seriousness. Ayame's eyes grew wide with surprise as she realized what he was saying. "Ayame-chan, I can tell something's bothering you. I don't have to use my Byakugan to see that. You should know by now that you can talk to me about anything. Even if you don't want to talk about it you can cry on me, hit me, or do whatever to relieve your frustration. I'm here for you no matter what."

Hideki's caring words and actions had left the girl speechless. All she could do was lean on his shoulder and let her tears flow freely. As the girl he adored shed her silent tears Hideki gave her a tender kiss on her forehead. He got a little bolder and kissed the bridge of her nose. When Ayame lifted her head to face him he took his chance to press his lips against hers. It didn't show on his face but his heart was pounding with excitement as he parted her soft lips with his tongue. As soon as he deepened the kiss they were both distracted by a noise. Both genin heard a rustling in the leaves in the branches above.

"It may just be a nocturnal creature on the hunt, but you can never be too careful," Ayame whispered as she stood back to back with her teammate. Hideki activated his Byakugan to survey for any nearby chakra signatures. He detected a human signature thirty degrees to Ayame's right. He tossed a kunai in that direction, startling the intruder, who fled through the treetops.

"Hmm...it looks like we were being watched. That chakra signature was definitely human. I don't know what they want but we can tell Konohamaru-sensei about it when we change shifts."

"Yeah, until then we'll have to stay alert." At that moment the two genin caught each other's gaze then quickly turned away blushing. Any more kissing they had planned would have to wait till later. After their shift was over Ayame went to wake their sensei while Hideki woke his brother.

"What are you looking so smug about?" Hinode asked his sibling as he crawled into his sleeping bag.

"I don't know what you're talking about. But listen, there was someone spying on us. No, it wasn't just some animal. I used my Byakugan and it was definitely a human. You and sensei be careful."

"All right, Hideki. Thanks for the head's up. By the way, you were so looking smug and I'm going to find out why." Hinode huffed in frustration when Hideki ignored him and curled up in his sleeping bag to get some shut-eye. Hinode then went to sit next to his sensei next to the campfire. "Konohamaru-sensei, who do you think might have been watching us?"

"No idea. Might have been a common thief or even someone trying to steal our scroll. But don't worry. We're going to complete this mission no matter what! Are ya with me kid?"

"Yosh! I'm with you all the way, sensei! You can count on me!" Came Hinode's enthusiastic response as he slapped his hand against his own chest.

"All right! Just stay alert. If whomever that was comes within fifty yards of this campsite it will set off our traps. That should slow them down long enough to defend ourselves and make them sorry they ever crossed Team Six of the Leaf Village," the jonin informed the boy with a cheesy grin. "But man I hope they don't show up again. The sooner we finish this mission the sooner I can get back to my stogies."

"You know, sensei, maybe you should quit smoking all together," Hinode suggested.

"Maybe you should mind your own business!" Konohamaru replied with an irritated sneer. He composed himself and quickly apologized. "Sorry about that, squirt. I get really edgy when I don't get my nicotine fix. I didn't mean to snap at ya like that."

"Like I said..."

"All right, all right! I get your point. I'll...think about it, ok? Now just focus of guarding our sleeping comrades."

"Hai!" Hinode responded with his weapons just centimeters from his grasp. 'I won't let anything happen to Ayame or my brother, that's for sure,' he thought to himself as he scanned the perimeter. By the second hour Hinode was sitting on the lon with drooping shoulders poking at the fire with a stick. There was absolutely no activity beyond chirping crickets. On top of that the sun was beginning to rise.

"Well, kid, whoever that intruder was they didn't bother coming back. That tells me they have at least a little bit of sense. It's almost sunrise so we might as well fix some vittles so we can pack up camp and move on." Konohamaru set up a portable stove and put a pot of water over the fire to boil. "All right, squirts, time to wake up! We're having oatmeal for breakfast. That'll stick to your ribs until we get to the next town," the jonin announced with a gruff laugh. Two groggy and one grouchy genin sat down to eat their breakfast. The oatmeal was far from tasty, but it wasn't horrible either. The most important thing was that it satisfied their hunger. At least that's what their sensei insisted. All three genin thought the reason for the mediocre meal was that their sensei couldn't cook, but they kept that to themselves.

By the time the sun had fully risen Team Six resumed their southern journey to the Land of Tea. Hinode couldn't help but notice the furtive glances Hideki and Ayame kept giving each other. Finally he pulled his brother aside to find out what was going on.

"Did something happen between you and Ayame last night?" Hinode whispered.

"If something did why should I tell you?"

Hinode clenched his fists and grit his teeth at the thought that his brother had somehow managed to get close to Ayame.

"Look, brother, if something's going on between you two you should at least be man enough to admit it," Hinode responded trying to goad Hideki into telling him more. It didn't work for Hideki just sped up to catch up with their sensei and their teammate. By now Hinode was extremely annoyed but he just let his feelings simmer.

Soon Team Six had made it to the border between Fire Country and Tea Country. The air was moist and the hills were covered with fields filled with dark green tea plants. Straw hats peppered the landscape for the time for harvesting tea leaves was here. A few friendly tea harvesters waved to the traveling shinobi who returned the friendly gesture.

"Kids, this is the Land of Tea. The clan that runs this town is the Wasabi Clan. They have been friends with Konoha for years and relations go way back to the former Fifth Hokage," Konohamaru explained to the young genin. "We won't have to worry about camping out here because the current clan head knows we're coming and he'll provide us with temporary lodging."

They genin were happy to hear that, although they were prepared for camping out once again. Hideki and Hinode were looking forward to sleeping in a comfortable bed and Ayame was looking forward to a decent bath and bathroom. Soon the sights, sounds and smells of a village excited their senses.

"All right, squirts! Time for a little R&R. But first, we meet with the illustrious Boss Idate of the Wasabi Clan!"

**Next Chapter: Team Six tries to relax but someone causes them a little upset. You'll get to see Ayame's scary side. Also, Boss Idate makes his debut!**


	7. Trouble is Her Middle Name

**Chapter 7: Trouble is her Middle Name**

"C'mon, sensei! You're walking too slow!" Hinode shouted while Konohamaru chatted with one of the locals. As expected, the younger son of the Uzamaki was hungry which meant he was cranky too. As the genin continued to complain his sensei reached over and grabbed a pomegranate from a fruit cart and shoved it in Hinode's mouth. Not once did the jonin turn around to pause in his conversation. Hinode then spit the fruit on the ground and grumbled that his mouth was full of seeds. When he started to walk away the owner of the fruit stand called out to him.

"Hey kid, aren't you gonna pay for that fruit you just wasted?"

"Me? Why should I? The jerk should pay. He's the one that shoved it in my mouth."

"Excuses, excuses, kid. You were the one chewing on it so cough up 25 ryu before I make you regret it!"

Hinode seriously considered shoving his fist down the man's throat until he saw Ayame browsing the fruit stand out of the corner of his eye. With a fake smile plastered on his face he pulled out a coin and paid the man for the pomegranate. He had noticed Ayame wasn't too impressed by his short temper. She herself had a cool demeanor, much like her father Kakashi. He figured in order to get closer to Ayame he had to distance himself from his temper.

"So, see any fruit that you like, Ayame-chan?"

"Everything looks so good and fresh it's hard to choose."

Ayame picked up a peach to test it's ripeness. After looking over some apples and pears she made her choice.

"I have a specialty dip my son makes especially for the fruit. Would you like to buy some?" the fruit peddler offered. As Ayame considered the offer Hinode spoke up.

"I'll buy it for you, Ayame. We can try it together!" The young Uzumaki bought a couple peaches of his own as well as the creamy dip. "This had better be good, old man."

"Better watch who you're calling old, kid!"

Hinode totally ignored the man as he walked off with Ayame to enjoy their fruit. The two genin settled down under a nearby tree and began to slice up the fruit. Ayame giggled as Hinode feed her a slice of peach. Neither of them noticed the tiny hand slipping around the trunk of the tree towards the back of Ayame's neck. The smile on the young Hatake's face vanished when she felt something slip from around her neck. She put her hand to her chest realizing something very precious to her had been taken. With an inhuman growl she stood to her feet, her eyes darting to and fro to see if she could spot the thief. Once she spotted someone clad in dark clothing clutching something in his hand she gave chase. He had taken to the rooftops, and but the way the little person moved she could tell he had some ninja training. That didn't discourage her because she was also ninja and had been trained by the best. She flitted elegantly from rooftop to rooftop like a sparrow as she closed the gap of distance between her and her current enemy. She had to admit he was fast , but that wasn't a good thing for him. The longer it took for her to catch up with him the more horrible the wrath she would unleash when she finally caught him.

She did eventually catch up with the thief at the edge of a rooftop where the drop was particularly steep. With the fire of her fury fuelling her strength Ayame grabbed him by the back of his shirt and flung him back. She then cracked her fist across his masked jaw knocking him to the ground. She sat on top of him to search his clothing for her precious item. The next thing she knew her body was tossed into the air . She hit the rooftop on her back with such an impact it took her breath away. As she got her bearings she felt something press against her chest. When she looked down she saw a black geta with tan toes wiggling as if to taunt her.

"I was thinking you were a kunoichi but I can see I was wrong. A real shinobi wouldn't let her emotions get the best of her."

Out of anger Ayame swiped at her opponent's foot. She got a handful of air instead as he quickly side stepped off of her chest, leaving the girl coughing from the pressure. He then quietly dropped her locket on her stomach.

"You can have it back. Turns out I have no use for it."

Before Ayame could get up she heard someone approaching fast. The strange shinobi calmly deflected an incoming shuriken with a kunai before vanishing in a puff of green smoke which left behind a strong scent of sage. In a flash Hinode was helping his teammate get back on her feet.

"Who the hell was that, Ayame?"

"I don't know, but if he touches this again I will kill him," Ayame sneered as she looked over her precious locket. She smiled with relief when she saw the picture of her parents inside of it wasn't damaged. The two genin met up with their sensei and other teammate. They got a brief lecture from Konohamaru about sticking together as they continued their journey. Soon they arrived at what appeared to be the village square. Not far from there was a section of houses that were more ornate than the others closer to the gate.

Their sensei directed them to a dark green house that was larger than all the others. A short, young looking man with dark hair was sitting on the porch chewing on a blade of grass. He was dressed very similar to a monk and had a sash around his waist with the kanji for fire. One of his kimono sleeves was much longer than the other which seemed suspicious to the young genin. Ayame also noticed that he was strikingly handsome. She blinked and blushed a little when he smiled and winked in her direction. The man then glanced over at Konohamaru with a stern expression.

"State your business."

"We have an appointment with Boss Idate."

The man was quiet for a moment before spitting the blade of grass at the young sensei's feet.

"You're from Konoha, huh? Meh, The Boss has been expecting you. Go on in."

The team quietly walked past the man who smiled up at them from his perch on the steps.

"You know, my uncle had a sash similar to that," Konohamaru muttered as he slid the main door open.

"Yeah, I know." The Leaf shinobi stopped in his tracks giving the man a questioning look. "My dad and he were...comrades long ago," the man explained as if in passing as he stared out into the courtyard. The seasoned ninja's charges watched as realization flashed over Konohamaru's face.

"We'll speak later...if you're still here that is. C'mon twerps. The Boss is waiting," the jonin grunted as he entered the building. Hideki followed and Hinode was close behind. However, Ayame paused for a moment to whisper in the man's ear.

"You...have very nice looking feet." The girl then hurried to catch up with her team as the man stared after her in wonder. Once they were all in the building Konohamaru led his team down a long corridor towards a room with a bright red door with ornate twin dragons emblazoned on each panel. There was a young woman standing beside the closed door and voices could be heard coming from inside. Moments later three men came bursting through the door laughing and smiling. Between two older gentlemen was a younger man with dark brown hair who was finely dressed. He had an arm around each older man's shoulder and they all seemed to be having a good time. The young lady standing by the door was able to get the young man's attention causing him to finally notice Konohamaru and his young genin.

"Sumimasen, Konohamaru-san! My comrades and I were just finishing up a business discussion!" He patted the two older men on the back as a signal for them to leave. "We'll continue our discussion at a later date, gentlemen." After the other men left Konohamaru bowed respectfully.

"Konnichiwa, Idate-sama..."

"Bah, you don't have to be so formal! Makes me feel old! Now step into my office!"

The young sensei simply shrugged and followed Idate into a large room with plenty of open space. There were several other people there who appeared to be ignoring the Leaf ninjas' presence as they went about their duties. That is until Idate barked an order for them to vacate the room. They didn't hesitate to obey. After the room was cleared of all but Idate and the Leaf nin, the young clan boss knelt on a pillow which had been placed on the slightly elevated area of the floor. He motioned for the others to make themselves comfortable on the pillows provided.

The Uzamaki boys didn't seem too impressed by the layout, but Ayame was a bit in awe of all the open space and elaborate decor. The boys grew up in the Hokage mansion so they were pretty much used to such things, but Ayame grew up in a small house in Konoha. Even the Otokage's mansion was nowhere near as roomy as this building. Idate smiled as he made himself comfortable as he absentmindedly played with a pocket knife with a beautiful ivory handle.

"So, I have word from the Hokage that you'll need to make use of one of my ships to get to Mizu," the clan boss began.

"That's correct, sir. But we'll need a couple days to prepare for the next leg of our journey."

"Not a problem! I have guest quarters prepared for you already. Hajime! Jun!" A young man and young woman quickly answered Idate's call and awaited their orders. "Escort my special guests to their quarters. Make sure everything is to their liking. They'll be joining me for dinner later on, right?"

Konohamaru couldn't argue with that offer. Once again the boys were annoyed to discover that Ayame would be staying in a room with their sensei leaving them stuck with each other. They were beginning to suspect Konohamaru had a hand in this annoyance.

"Sensei, why do you keep sticking us together? I get enough of his gloomy face at home," Hinode complained.

"What do you mean, gloomy?" Hideki snapped as Konohamaru chuckled at them both.

"Boys, settle down. Don't take it personally. It's just that Kakashi-san would have my head on a platter if he found out I put his precious daughter in a room with a couple of perverts." He punctuated his explanation with an evil grin. Konohamaru laughed at their loud protests as Ayame quietly settled into the prepared quarters. After smacking the Uzamaki boys on the head and sending them to their quarters across the hall, Konohamaru went into his quarters to find Ayame in a panic. She was tearing through her belongings searching for something that seemed very important. After a few moments she gave up as tears welled up in her eyes.

"Ayame, what's wrong? Did you lose something."

"Sensei..." Her voice was as soft as a downy feather as she began to wipe away her tears. "Sensei...how could I have been so stupid? How could I let myself get tricked like that?"

"What are you talking about, Ayame?"

"It was all a distraction, but I didn't realize it until now. That ninja in green...took my locket and got me all riled up to distract me from what he was really after," Ayame sniffled.

"You mean...."

"He took the scroll! The one the Hokage entrusted to us to deliver to the Mizukage!" By now Ayame was bawling. She just knew terrible punishment was coming her way. She feared she would be sent back to the academy, or worse...kicked out of training forever and never have a chance to be a kunoichi again. "Sensei, what am I gonna do?" With a sigh Konohamaru knelt down to put a comforting arm around the girl.

"First of all you need to calm down. It's not the end of the world. I just need you to tell me everything you know about this shinobi in green. If it's not too late I can get Hideki to use his Byakugan to trace his chakra from the last point of your encounter." Ayame's mood brightened a bit after hearing that. "Pull yourself together while I go get the boys."

"Hai, sensei!"

After Konohamaru left Ayame geared up for their impromptu mission. She felt terrible about the trouble she caused all because she let her emotions cloud her judgment. After drying the last of her tears her face bore an expression of resolve. With the help of her team she was going to right this wrong.

**Next chapter: Will Team Six be able to recover the scroll in time? And who is the strange shinobi in green? All will be revealed in the next chappie, my darlings! Also, the team visits Zabuza's and Haku's graves.**


End file.
